Cognitive Dissociation – Learning to Enjoy Exercise

But I Hate Exercise…

When it comes to the matter of exercising consistently (for like, ever) one of the biggest challenges for many of us is boredom and discomfort. Okay, that’s two challenges. Good point. It’s no major revelation for me to share that some of us simply don’t enjoy the whole getting sweaty and out-of-breath thing. Not to mention our aversion to grey track pants or any activity requiring a modicum of co-ordination.  

Latest Research

Neither is it ground-breaking to reveal that human bodies live longer and function more efficiently when they don’t spend the majority of their days in a fixed position. As many of us (now) do. Latest research suggests that having a chair permanently attached to one’s arse is detrimental to one’s health.

But I’m sure one knows that.

The likelihood is that if we don’t enjoy exercise (at least a little), many of us will not make week two of the program. So, the relevant question is: how do we make the exercise journey a more tolerable or, possibly even enjoyable, one?    

The Boredom Factor

One of the biggest complaints from chronic exercise-avoiders is that they find the whole process mindlessly boring. Which suggests that perhaps their challenge is more of a mental one, than it is a physical one.  We also know that we humans are not always inclined to put ourselves in uncomfortable positions – which can see us procrastinate, avoid and ignore (our declining health and increasing weight) for years on end. Then one day we wake up with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hardened arteries and more fat than a fur seal.

And, strangely, we wonder what happened. Like, somehow, we magically got fat and unhealthy. Sigh.

Curious creatures.

So, is it possible to make the exercise experience a more enjoyable (and more regular) one for the less-than-enthusiastic exerciser? Thankfully, yes.

Phew.

In the (relatively small) world of exercise-psychology, we exercise professionals (trainers, coaches, exercise scientists and physiologists) are always taking advantage of a concept called Cognitive Dissociation. Which (kind of) means taking our mind off the physical experience or, if you want me to be a little more sciencey, mentally disconnecting from the sensory feedback we typically receive from our body.

A Story

Of course, there’s a story.

One day Sally is told (by her doctor) that she needs to start walking to drop some weight, to increase her fitness and to improve her overall health. As a result, she walks for the following three mornings but totally hates it. On the (soon to be) world-famous Harper Enjoyment Scale, her enjoyment score is one (out of ten). Then, by some stroke of luck, Sally happens across a website article (on some amazing site) addressing this very issue.

She discovers that her mind is getting in the way of her physical potential. And her long-term health. In reading the article, she learns that by manipulating her psychological experience (of the exercise process) she can make the physical experience more tolerable. Possibly even enjoyable. Freaky.

Who knew?

A Hairy Distraction

In an attempt to make the process less horrible, the next day (day four of her walking regime) Sally borrows Sam (the neighbour’s Golden Retriever) for her early morning outing. Sally loves Sam and, much to her surprise, the time seems to pass more quickly with her hairy four-legged distraction in tow. She’s back home before she knows it and, interestingly, day four’s walking experience has rated a three on the enjoyment scale. That is, not altogether horrible.

Music

Being the crazy kid that she is, the next day sees Sally adds another variable into the exercise experiment: music. She loves music. It has the capacity to take her to another place, to transform her mood and to still her (often-chaotic) mind. So, outing number five sees Sally and Sam (complete with iPod) traversing the burbs with, what appears to be, (a degree of) enthusiasm! With the music, her hairy loveable companion and a slightly fitter and trimmer body, Sally is almost enjoying the experience. Her enjoyment score has risen to a five.

Eye Candy

On day six of her new exercise regime, Sally decides to add a final (for the time-being) ingredient into the fitness recipe: scenery. A little eye candy. Another enjoyable distraction from the physical reality of her exercise experience. Being as she only lives a few kilometers from the beach, Sal (can I call her Sal?) decides to add some sun, surf, sand and (coastal) smells to the musical and canine distractions. She and Sam walk along the water’s edge, kick the sand, throw (and chase) sticks and lose themselves in the process. Sally walks for twice as long as normal and, to her own amazement, loves every minute of it. The outing rates a nine.

In one week, her thinking, attitude, beliefs and (most importantly) her literal experience of exercise – the one she created – have totally shifted.

Cognitive Dissociation

Cognitive dissociation (in relation to exercise) is a technique that will ‘work’ for all of us if we are prepared to experiment and persevere a little. I’ve trained blokes who (for example) absolutely hated going for a thirty-minute run but would happily kick and chase a football for the same amount of time – while actually covering more ground, running faster, expending more energy and gaining more (physiological) benefit – all because they found a way to ‘disconnect’ in the middle of a physical experience.

It’s amazing how effectively we can change, not only our perception, but our literal experience when we ‘do the same thing’ in a different way.

Picture yourself riding an exercise (stationary) bike for forty-five minutes (alone) in your garage while staring at a blank wall in total silence. No company. No music. Nothing (interesting) to look at. I get bored just thinking about it.

Now, relocate your bike to a bright room with lots of inspirational posters on the walls, a few flat-screen TV’s, a great view out of the numerous windows, some awesome music pumping through the place, a room full of motivated people peddling beside you and a hot-looking bloke (or chick) up the front inspiring you through a great work-out.

Some people call this scenario Spinning (RPM, etc.). I call it cognitive dissociation.

It’s the same but different. Find a way to make it work for you.

Feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, advice and experiences.